The Secret to Increasing Soul Ring Absorption Limits

"This isn't something I can't tell you."

Jiede looked troubled.

Huo Wushuang and Feng Xiaotian exchanged glances, unable to understand what Jiede meant.

Huo Wu, on the other hand, seemed to realize something after a moment of thought.

She immediately pulled out a money pouch from her storage ring and said decisively.

"One hundred Gold Soul Coins!"

"This isn't about money."

Jiede shook his head. His family's candy shop brought in more than that every day.

"One thousand Gold Soul Coins!" Huo Wu gritted her teeth.

"...You'll need to pay more." Jiede coughed lightly.

"Y-you're going too far."

"This is the secret behind a second Millennium Soul Ring. It's priceless. Others wouldn't even have a way to learn it." Jiede spoke with a straight face.

Lu Cheng did not interrupt from the side. His nerves remained tense, ready to immediately restrain one of them if they made any suspicious move.

Feng Xiaotian frowned. "How much do you want?"

"Not much. Ten thousand."

Jiede held up one finger.

The three fell silent.

Their families were not short on money, but they were still children. This was practically all the pocket money they had on them.

"Feng... Feng Xiaotian, lend me some money first."

After hesitating, Huo Wu spoke unwillingly.

"And you, Brother, hand over your private stash."

Huo Wushuang's face darkened. This was borrowing with no intention of repayment.

"Sister Huo Wu, why talk about borrowing? I'll contribute five thousand Gold Soul Coins. The three of us can share this secret."

Feng Xiaotian abandoned his aloof manner and said ingratiatingly.

The three quickly reached an agreement, scraped together ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, and handed them to Jiede.

"Actually, it isn't really about the money. It's simply that the three of you are fated to learn this secret..."

Jiede paused.

Damn, I really want to hit him. What the hell is this guy?

Just as the three were about to lose patience and start beating him up, Jiede continued.

"I'm a food-type soul master. This is related to my Martial Soul, which is why I can break the limit and barely absorb a Millennium Soul Ring."

Lu Cheng raised his eyelids slightly.

"Mm, and then?" Huo Wu nodded.

To their surprise, Jiede said, "That's another question."

"I can't take this anymore. We should just grab him and hand him over to the family." Huo Yan cursed angrily.

Feng Wuhen grabbed him. "Don't be rash, Brother Feng. We've already spent ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. A little more won't matter. At most, we'll just pay him again."

"Damn it, this brat is definitely a profiteer. No merchant is honest!"

"Fine, fine, I'll remember you."

Huo Wu took a deep breath. "What exactly will it take for you to tell us this secret?"

"It's not expensive. One Gold Soul Coin will do."

Feng Xiaotian tossed Jiede a Gold Soul Coin. "Don't keep Sister Huo Wu waiting. Hurry up and speak."

Jiede put away the Gold Soul Coin and smiled faintly. "This involves the private secrets of my Martial Soul, so I can't tell you."

The three nearly had cerebral hemorrhages on the spot.

"Fuck, you bastard!"

Feng Xiaotian roared and charged forward with his fist raised.

Lu Cheng immediately met him. Soul power surged forth and knocked Feng Xiaotian back.

He then turned to Jiede and sighed. "Junior Brother, you're going to have no friends if you keep acting like this."

That was right. Even he, as Jiede's senior brother, could no longer endure it.

Even the normally steady Huo Wushuang furrowed his brows, his expression dark.

"If you dare toy with us again, we won't mind fighting you. Even if your senior brother is a three-ring Soul Elder, he won't be able to protect you."

"Fine, fine. I can tell you, but you must keep it secret. You absolutely cannot spread it around."

Jiede had no choice but to compromise.

"After all, it wouldn't be a good thing if a soul master's soul skills became common knowledge."

"Of course."

The three nodded and made their promise.

"My first soul skill is called the Foundation-Building Pill. It can consolidate one's foundation and nourish one's origin..."

Jiede explained slowly.

The three listened, utterly absorbed.

"You mean that as long as one can improve their physical condition, they can increase the age limit of the Soul Rings they absorb?" Huo Wu asked.

Jiede nodded. "That's right."

"Does your Foundation-Building Pill really only work when you take it yourself?"

Huo Wu gritted her teeth and asked unwillingly.

"You don't need to hide it from us. The three of us come from major families. We wouldn't do something as despicable as kidnapping someone."

Feng Xiaotian immediately chimed in. "Don't worry. If your Foundation-Building Pill really works, we'll pay to buy it."

Jiede merely smiled without confirming or denying it. The three of them did have decent character, but the same could not necessarily be said for the forces behind them.

"I'll buy one of your Foundation-Building Pills to try. Whether it works or not, the cost is on me," Huo Wu said.

Feng Xiaotian hurriedly handed Jiede a Gold Soul Coin.

"You don't need to pay." Huo Wu was extremely speechless at this overly attentive fellow.

"It's only one Gold Soul Coin. It's nothing. As long as you're happy." Feng Xiaotian smiled.

The veins on Huo Wu's forehead twitched, and she did not want to respond to him.

Jiede accepted the Gold Soul Coin.

The last person to make that request had been the previous one.

Jade Master had lain in bed for three days before recovering.

Since there was another person who wasn't afraid of death, Jiede might as well grant his wish.

Jiede put on a show of using his first soul skill, then condensed a Stinky Mystic Pellet in his palm and tossed it to Huo Wu.

The instant Huo Wu caught it, a foul stench hit her nose, and she nearly threw it away.

"My god, what the hell is this thing?"

"My Mystic Core Martial Soul is a mutated Martial Soul, so it's a little special. That's perfectly normal."

"You call this normal? It stinks too much."

Huo Wu could not imagine how Jiede managed to eat something this foul every day.

"You eat this every day?"

This was no different from eating shit, but Huo Wu was too embarrassed to say it aloud.

"Of course." Jiede's face did not redden, nor did his heart skip a beat.

Feng Xiaotian took a deep breath. "Sister Huo Wu, let me try it."

"Are you sure?"

"If—if I help you taste this pill, can you agree to one thing for me?"

"No. Absolutely not. Don't even think about it."

"It won't be anything excessive."

"...Fine. I agree." Huo Wu's lips moved a few times before she reluctantly agreed.

"Wonderful!"

Feng Xiaotian took the Stinky Mystic Pellet, suppressed his nausea, and swallowed it in one gulp.

He neither washed it down with water nor spat it out, merely dry-heaving a few times.

Jiede gave him a thumbs-up in admiration. He was a real man, though sadly, far too much of a simp.

Feng Xiaotian circulated his soul power, felt it out, and spoke honestly.

"I can't say it has no effect at all. It's about the same as drinking soaked wild ginseng water every day—better than nothing."

The hopes of the three, along with the two people hidden in the shadows, finally died completely.

"This is the first time I've heard of a food-type soul skill that can only be used by its owner," Huo Wushuang said with a sigh.

After pondering for a moment, Huo Wu said, "Then wouldn't taking some medicinal herbs that consolidate the foundation and nourish the origin have the same effect?"

"In theory, yes."

Jiede explained.

"However, every medicine carries some toxicity. Taking too much will have the opposite effect and damage one's meridians and body.

There have been people across the continent who tried it.

But none of them could remove the impurities and toxins within the medicinal herbs."

Feng Xiaotian felt deeply miserable. He had spent the most money and had even eaten a Stinky Mystic Pellet.

His mouth still reeked. Only because Huo Wu was beside him did he maintain his composure and refrain from vomiting.

"Is there really no other way?"

Huo Wu plopped down onto the ground, utterly dejected.

"I'm level twenty now. I came here to hunt for a Soul Ring, and when I saw your second Soul Ring, I thought..."

"It seems I can only absorb a Century Soul Ring."

Huo Wu raked her fingers through her hair and glanced at Jiede, only to find him calm and unconcerned by what she had just said.

Something stirred in Huo Wu's heart. She tested him, saying, "What does your Mystic Pellet Martial Soul mean? Is it the kind of pill I'm thinking of?"